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Maj. Richard Forney, 70, passed away Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, at his home, surrounded by his family, following a short battle with cancer. He was born in Emporia on July 27, 1946.
Richard graduated from Topeka High School and Vennard Bible College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he met and married Judy Seaman. Together they attended The Salvation Army School for Officer Training (seminary).
In addition to ministering as a corps officer (church pastor) in 14 different appointments, including Salina, he served in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 1980-85 as the director of the Salvation Army’s youth programming for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Richard loved helping others through the Emergency Disaster Services Ministry. Some of those opportunities included the Mexico City earthquake, the Minot, N.D., flood, the Fargo, N.D., floods, the Rio de la Plata Flood in Uruguay, at ground zero after 9/11, the Katrina Hurricane relief, the Plainfield, Ill., tornado, and the Greenfield tornado. He was called upon by international headquarters to run the warehouse in Albania that provided food and clothing to six refugee camps for those escaping the Kosovo war. In 2012, Rich and Judy retired and moved into their home at the Marion County Lake in Marion.
Richard was preceded in death by his mother and father, Brig. Lew and Edith Forney.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Maj. Judy Forney; children, Michelle Forney, of Salina, Dawne Curry (Chris), of Blue Springs, Mo., and Capts. Rich Forney (Linnea), of Aurora, Ill.; brothers, Hal Forney (Sharon), of Wichita, and Majs. Jerry Forney (Carol), of Arnold, Mo.; stepmother, Brig. Alta Forney, of Marion; six grandchildren; and five nieces and nephews who will miss him dearly.
Celebration of Life memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, at The Salvation Army Wichita Citadel Corps, 1739 S. Elpyco St., Wichita.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to The Salvation Army (listed above) to continue the work of serving “Others” in need. Zeiner Funeral Home, Marion, is handling arrangements.
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